KABUL, Afghanistan – Unconfirmable reports have confirmed that President Karzai of Afghanistan, after summoning President Obama of the U.S. to his capital with only three days notice, scolded Obama about several areas of continuing concern. In a gracious attempt to allow Obama to save face, Karzai agreed to pretend “for now” that the trip was Obama’s idea, and that Obama had scolded Karzai.
Karzai warned Obama about his failure to address priorities such as “battling corruption” and drug issues. Karzai told Obama, with a degree of patronization that shocked even seasoned observers of the countries’ diplomatic relations, “There are certain things you have not paid attention to, almost since Day One.”
Karzai stressed the need to end the “implicit political corruption” that has plagued the Obama administration. Karzai mocked Obama’s initiatives, pointing out that the “so-called Stimulus Plan obviously was intended to redistribute wealth to special interests” while “prolonging the recession.” He also criticized Obama’s bailouts of financial institutions and automobile manufacturers, noting that these were “illegitimate and beyond the proper scope of government.”
Karzai was most critical of the recently passed health care bill. He told Obama the legislative process raised “governance issues,” asking rhetorically, “If you couldn’t get this nonsense through with normal procedures, might there be a problem with the substance of the bill?” Karzai told Obama the bill was “a grab for power” and not a serious attempt to address any health care issues. He pointed out that the federal and state governments had already “burdened, over-regulated, and otherwise interfered with health care.” He asked, “Did it occur to you to reverse all this bad policy before making things even worse?”
Karzai was no less forgiving in discussing what he called “America’s immoral and counter-productive ‘war on drugs.’” He lectured Obama, “Have you studied economics or history? Your war on drugs creates crime, just as Prohibition did.” He recommended the U.S. decriminalize drugs, pointing out that this would end drug crime and lead to lower use of drugs, since people could freely seek treatment for any abuse.
Karzai encouraged Obama to take a humanitarian approach to drugs rather than “locking up so many people and destroying their lives and their families’ lives.” He also accused the U.S. of politically “profiting” from the war on drugs by making countless law enforcement and prison employees dependent on the government and pandering to conservative voters.
Karzai had asked Obama to visit during the Afghanistan nighttime, and to leave before daybreak, to avoid what he called “any false impression that I can endorse your administration.” He suggested that Obama fly home and try to absorb Karzai’s concerns.
